The Lions have been the premier team in Europe over the past five years, winning the Eurobowl title for the last three years and the German crown four of the last five years. Frankfurt has emerged as a true elite team in Germany and Europe since entering the German Football League in 2016. That year, the Universe captured the EFL – European Football League – title and in 2017 they reached the Eurobowl final, losing out to the New Yorker Lions.

The Flash have been perennial favorites to win the French league championship and won it again in 2017. The French club reached the Eurobowl final twice in the last 15 years, losing in 2006 and 2009.

The Amsterdam Crusaders are in a resurgence. The team has won the last three Dutch championships with relative ease and reached the EFL final in 2016, losing to the Universe. Amsterdam, winners of the Eurobowl crown in 1991 and 1992 and finalists the previous two years, will only be playing international competition in 2018 and will be well prepared.

As in previous years, each participating team has a home and an away game. The two challengers will face last year’s two Eurobowl finalists who will not play each other in the preliminary round.

The EUROBOWL tournament in challenger format begins on April 14 with the Flash La Courneuve facing the New York Lions and Amsterdam Crusaders taking on the Samsung Frankfurt Universe.

The second game day will take place on April 28 when the New Yorker Lions meet the Amsterdam Crusaders. On the same day the Samsung Frankfurt Universe will host Flash La Courneuve.

The tournament winds up on the weekend of June 9/10 with EUROBOWL XXXII.